Grafar class 8 chassis

[pilotfriend]

I have built a new Mallet using this chassis. It is well engineered and easy to adapt and modify and so far has excellent running after 16 hours. No visible sign of wear. I have used two frets supplied by Backwoods for their Russell. The two motors control well with one DZ 143 chip. It is fitted with lights.

Right now it is away for panelling and lining.





I built the new Victors Sandy River kit and it went together very well. Sadly, there is insufficient opportunity to add enough ballast to make it a viable runner on County Gate. I therefore converted it into a 2-6-4 tank using parts from a Langley body kit. Now runs very well indeed with no slipping.



regards
JdF

[rhydddu009]

Hi John, they look fantastic - can't wait to see them in action on CG.  Out of interest how easy is it to convert the 08 chassis to DCC (I think the class 04 chassis is very similar too)?

I have one of each chassis but have not yet been able to work out how to isolate the motor from the pickups - can you describe how you did it?

Thanks Colin

[pilotfriend]

The two wires to the motor are soldered onto a small circuit board at the rear. Just unsolder them and add the chip...easy as anything.
regards
John

[invercloy]

I've just bought one too and am converting a Chivers Beddgelert kit to fit on one with outside frames.  I will be writing an article for the News if all goes well.

For

[Isle of Stoner]

I'm in the middle of building a GEM Bagnal onto one with a pony truck making it into a very handsome 0-6-2. Its my biggest loco and towers over my mostly Corris/FR size locos.

It runs beautifully... or it did, I've buggered it at the moment but I think its just a contact problem.

The 04 if excellent too, I couldn't bring myself to bin the body so I removed the cab which is a seperate casting and made it into open cabbed mines type loco. This one is my smallest loco and still runs very well despite my attentions!

Photos to follow when I get round to it.

[Isle of Stoner]

Here are the pics

[Chris Veitch]

The backdrop's nice, John. It looks almost like North Wales. ;-)

Chris

[Isle of Stoner]

Back garden. My scenery never looks that good, sadly.

Cheers

John

[invercloy]

Wish my back garden had a view like that!! Lovely conversion John.

I'll post some of my work on my Beddgelert conversion soon.

[Isle of Stoner]

All was going well till one of our bloody cats kicked it of a shelf onto the floor.... It now has a rather unusual shaped cab. Cat has a rather unusual shaped bum also... Hey ho.

[Isle of Stoner]

All is well, spent the evening rebuilding/straightening and generrally sorting out the Bagnall and all is well... I don't think the cab will ever be quite the same but the chassis now runs again and the cat is almost forgiven.

[Isle of Stoner]

Painted and detailed, runs ok but I only have a yard of track on a plank to test it on at the moment.

Quite pleased with it, not sure about the body colour though.